Cylinder lock housing



G. P- PATRIQUIN CYLINDER LOCK HOUSING June 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 17, 1962 6 R O/ M mm W 3 P R r M a w p F r P 6 R5 4 -l H a [M 2 6 a w 1 m w% m m z June 1965 e. P. PATRIQUIN CYLINDER LOCK HOUSING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 1'7, 1962 INVENTOR 620/96: 1". PlIf/dU/A/ United States Patent 3,190,092 CYLINDER LOCK HOUSING George P. Patriquin, Gardener, Mass., assignor to Independent Lock Company, Fitchburg, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Dec. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 245,248 Claims. (Cl. 70-'-370) This invention relates to a cylinder lock housing, and more particularly to a housing for holding a lock plug, said housing being particularly adapted for mounting on thin door panels or the like, as exemplified by the door panel of an automobile.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to a plastic lock cylinder which may be mounted from the outside to a thin panel, such as a door panel.

This invention further relates to a plastic lock housing for mounting through an aperture formed in the door panel of an automobile or the like, said housing providing a rigid connection with the panel and similarly providing a moisture sealing fit about the aperture through which it is mounted.

This invention further relates to a cylinder lock of the class described which may be applied to door panels having moderate degrees of curvature, while still pro? viding a moisture sealing fit in the holding aperture formed in said panels.

In the past, the affixation of cylindrical lock structures to door panels and the like has presented problems in that in many structures it has been necessary first to pass 3,190,092 Patented June 22, 1965 "ice FIGURE 4 is a magnified side view of a lock housing,

struction;

FIGURE 5 is a magnified fragmentary view showing the parts in assembled position on a door panel;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a door panel including an aperture for receiving the lock housing.

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein a lock housing 10 is formed integrally of a resilient plastic, nylon being preferred. The housing 10 includes a generally cylindrical body portion 11 concentrically disposed with respect to an inner cylinder plug retainer portion 12. V The plug retainer portion 12 icludes the usual cylidrical bore 13 for reception of the plug, not shown.

Similarly, a pin tumbler housing 14 having tumbler bores 15 intersecting the bore 13 extends upwardly from the housing. It will be understood that the tumbler bores 15 are charged in the usual manner with driver the major portion of the cylinder structure through an aperture formed in the panel and thereafter to engage in certain manipulative steps which must be performed behind the panel.

l In other known lock retainer structures, diificulty has been experienced in securing a water-tight fit between the portions of the lock which lie outside of the panels and the aperture through which the lock is passed. Such problems become more acute, for reasons which will be readily recognized, where the lock is applied to a panel having even a moderate degree of curvature. Thus, it

has heretofore been necessary to manufacture a lock specially for a panel to which it is to be applied, a lock which is suitable for mounting on a panel having a first curvature being unsuitable for installation on panels having a different or no curvature.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a lock retainer assembly which may be applied to thin panels, such as the outer panel of an automobile door, without performing manipulative steps behind the panel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a lock retainer for mounting within an aperture formed in a door panel, said retainer providing a moisture sealing fit about the aperture so as to prevent the ingress of water through the aperture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lock retainer which is relatively universal in application, the

pins and activating springs, not shown, and in the locked position, said driver pins lie across the shear line formed by the bore 13 and the outer periphery of the plug, to prevent rotation of the plug within the bore.

As best. seen in FIGURES 3 and 4, a facing portion 16 is formed at the front or exterior of the housing 10, and in the embodiment illustrated, is integral with the remainder of the lock housing. A relatively thin walled, deformable skirt 17 is joined to the housing 10 at a base portion 18, lying adjacent the front or exterior end of the housing. The skirt 17 flares outwardly and rearwardly, terminating in a rearwardly directed annular rim or lip 19.

The body portion 11 is provided with. a plurality of angularly spaced-apart retaining lugs 20, as best seen in FIGURES 1, 4 and 5. The lugs 20 may be shifted Similarly, the forward or retaining portions 22 of the lugs 20 lie preferably forwardly of the leading edge or rim 19 of the skirt 17. More specifically, in the normal or unstressed position of the skirt 17, the leading edges 22 lie forwardly of a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the bore 13 and intersecting the leading edge of the rim'19. a

As will be more readily understood from the ensuing description, where the housing is to be used on relatively thicker panels, it is possible that the leading edges may be spaced rearwardly of the plane described by the rim 19.

The housing 10 is intended to be supported within an aperture 30 in the thin panel 31, which aperture preferably includes an eccentric cutout portion 32. The housing is applied to the panel by inserting the inner end 10a same retainer being suitable for mounting on fiat panels or panels having varying moderate curvatures, said re-. tainer providing in each instance amoisture sealing fit against the front face of the panel.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or by hereinafter pointed out, referof the housing 10 through the aperture 30. The diameter of the major portion of the aperture 30 is slightly greater than the outer diameter of the body portion 11, and it will be readily recognized that as the. housing is inserted, the came portions 21 of the retainers 20, which extend radially beyond the body portion 11, will be urged radially inwardly by the walls defining the aperture 30, said walls acting as follower portions for said cam surfaces. As the housing continues to be shifted inwardly through said aperture, the leading edge 19 of the skirt 17 will contact the outer face 33 of the panel 31, and the skirt will be compressed until the same lies closely adjacent the rearmost face 16a of the facing portion 16. When this condition is achieved, the forwardmost ends 22 of lugs 20 will have passed entirely through aperture 30 to a position whereby the forward or retaining portions 22 ,are disposed rearwardly of the rear face 34 of the panel 31. r

. incoplanar, forwardly directednshoulder portions,.said

It will be readily recognized that the lugs 20 willthere-v upon be permitted to spring outwardly by'reason of their inherent resilience, whereupon the housing may be released. The parts will then occupy the position shown in FIGURE 5, whereat the skirt 17 remains in partiallydefiected position under tension, the compressive force exerted by said skirt,-tending to draw the faces 22 of the lugs 20 tightly against the inner face 34 ofthe panel. The tumbler. housing 14, in the assembled'condition'within shoulder portions, in the normal, unstressed position of said skirt, being located forwardly of a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of'said bore and passing through the rearmost edge of said rim portion.

2. A self-mounting cylinder lock assembly comprising resilient plastic and including a bodyportion, a cylindrical bore extending inwardly from. the outer end of said body portion, a headed portion at .thefrorlt end of said the panel, lies Within the eccentric cutout portion 32 and prevents a relative rotation between the housing and the 7 panel to which it is mounted. i 7

It will be readily recognized from theforegoing description that'while the housing is illustrated as mounted'on a planar panel, the novel construction will permit mounting T in of the housing on moderately curved panels as well. any case, the rim 19. of the skirt 17 willbe firmly' com pressed against thecurved or. planar outer face of the door 7 ing from said body portion adjacent the junction ofthe body portion and the rearmost face of saidheaded pon' tion, said skirt flaring outwardlyand rearwardly to a panel and will positively prevent the ingress of moisture 1 through the aperture to apoint within the panel.

It will be recognized thatwhere the device is applied to a curved panel, the rim is deformed to 'a generally ellipsoid configuration.

Ifdesired, a decorative scalp maybe crimped, spun or otherwise fitted over the face portion 16.

It will be understood that the fr'ont'end of the usual cylinder plug, which will be ,rotatably mounted within the bore 13, is available'through thelface portion 16 and that the plug is operated in the usual manner bya key inserted into the keyway of the plug.

While the lock housing is illustrated in conjunction with .l

a pin tumbler type assembly, itwill be readilyrecognized.

that the same is suitable for use with locks operated'on the disk tumbler principle.

Likewise, while the housing has been described asuser ful primarily for mounting indoor panels, it will beunderstood that the inventionis not to be limited to such use, but, rather, should be broadlyconstrued 'within'thel It is specifically con-' limitations of the appended claims.

templated that the assembly may forma part of a cohvehtional lockset. device or the like, the assembly being retained within an aperture formed in a knob or panel of the device. Also, the bore may be used to accommodate rather than the plug ally extending body portion having a cylindrical bore I formed therein for the reception of a lock plug,-and a headed portion atithe front end of said body portion ex tending. radiallyoutwardly beyond said body portion, said headed portion being resistant to fiexure relative to said body portion, a rearwardly directed, resilient, domedskirt a member of relativelythin material extending rearwardly and outwardly from said body portion, and terminating body portion extending radially outwardly beyond said. body. portion, said headed portion being resistant'to fleX-' ure relative to said body portion, a longitudinally'com pressible, thin walled skirthaving a neck portion extendwidened, rearwardly directed-annular rim, said annular rim being spaced 2. clearancedistance rearwardly of the rearmost face of said headed portion, and retainer means projecting from said body adapted to engage behind the inner surface of an automobile door panel or the, like and =to maintain said rim in stressed, conforming contact with; H the outer surface of said'panel a I 13. A device inaccordance with claim 2 whereinf'said headed portion is clad with a surrounding metallic member.

the diameter of said rim. a v

5. A weatherproof cylinder lock assembly for mounting V in an aperture'formed in a panel comprising an integral,

resilient plastic housing having a longitudinally extending body portion,.a longitudinally extending cylindrical bore formed in said body portion for the reception. of a lock plug, a headed member formed at the-outer end of said housing,.saidvheaded member being resistant to fleXure relative to said body portion, a'she'll extending rearward-, ly from the rearinost face of said headed member, said 1 shell surrounding said body portion, a rearwardly directed resilient domed skirt member of relatively thin' material extending rearwardly and outwardly and joined to said housing at the. junction of said rear face of said headed member and said shell, terminating in a rea wardly di,

rected continuous rim portion, said rim portion being spaced a clearance distance ,rearwardlyof the rearmost face of said headed portion, a plurality of resilient retainer lugs on said shell, said lugs slopingoutwardly and,

forwardly from said shell and terminating in coplanar,

in a rearwardly directed rim portion, said rim portion be-' ing spaced alclearance distance rearwardly of the rearmost face of said headed portion, a plurality of resilient retainer lugs formed on said housing, said lugstsloping outwardly and forwardly from the housing and terminating forwardly directed shoulder, portions, said shoulder. por-q,

tions, in the normal unstressed conditionof said skirt, be-

ing located forwardly of a plane normal to'the longitud I inal axis of said bore and passing through, the rearrnost edge of said rim portion.

Referenc es Cited by the Examiner, UNITED STATES PATENTS) 1,400,155 12/21 Greenburg.

- 2,051,772 8/36'fTurrel1' -464 1 2,113,535 4/38 Cuno et' a1. 248I27 2,275,362 3/42 Golden et a1 '70-l34 2,860,233 11/58 Johnson 24827 X ALBERT H. KAMPE, Primary Examiner. g

4. A device in accordance withclaim 2 wherein the diameter of said headed member is at least as great as 

2. A SELF-MOUNTING CYLINDER LOCK ASSEMBLY COMPRISING RESILIENT PLASTIC AND INCLUDING A BODY PORTION, A CYLINDRICAL BORE EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE OUTER END OF SAID BODY PORTION, A HEADED PORTION AT THE FRONT END OF SAID BODY PORTION EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY BEYOND SAID BODY PORTION, SAID HEADED PORTION BEING RESISTANT TO FLEXURE RELATIVE TO SAID BODY PORTION, A LONGITUDINALLY COMPRESSIBLE, THIN WALLED SKIRT HAVING A NECK PORTION EXTENDING FROM SAID BODY PORTION ADJACENT THE JUNCTION OF THE BODY PORTION AND THE REARMOST FACE OF SAID HEADED PORTION, SAID SKIRT FLARING OUTWARDLY AND REARWARDLY TO A WIDENED, REARWARDLY DIRECTED ANNULAR RIM, SAID ANNULAR RIM BEING SPACED A CLEARANCE DISTANCE REARWARDLY OF THE REARMOST FACE OF SAID HEADED PORTION, AND RETAINER MEANS PROJECTING FROM SAID BODY ADAPTED TO ENGAGE BEHIND THE INNER SURFACE OF AN AUTOMOBILE DOOR PANEL OR THE LIKE AND TO MAINTAIN SAID RIM IN STRESSED, CONFORMING CONTACT WITH THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID PANEL. 